#73 McIlhenny leads SMU over Baylor (1982)

[PK]

http://www.smumustangs.com/football/90/index_73.asp

[Stallion]

one of the 10 most dramatic and exciting victories I've seen in my 40+ years of watching SMU football. This game needs to be moved WAY WAY higher than 73rd. SMU entered the game 14-1 in its last 15 games and was on about a 10 game winning streak so it was shocking to find itself in such a hole only to be delivered in such a dramatic comeback. Lance McIllhenney proves why he was one of the biggest clutch players in SMU history by going to the bomb twice when Baylor overplayed the Pony Express. One in a series of about 10 straight classic SMU/Baylor games that made that series the most exciting in the conference from 1977-1986. SMU's most similar rivalry was with Baylor and NOT TCU. Even to this day I'd rather play Baylor than TCU.

[ponydawg]

but then we couldn't hear the "cross town whipping boy" chant.....
Man I hate that chant.....glad it stops this year...right?

[Sewanee Stang]

Right you are, Stallion. The 1980 SMU-Baylor game was a great one too. I was a bummed out kid that night in Waco. We lost 32-28 when we failed to convert a 4th and goal on the last play of the game. That was Mike Ford's last start as a Mustang as McIlhenny took over the next week in the UT game. The rest is history.

[Stallion]

end of era and the beginning of a new one. To show you how wild those SMU/Baylor games were back then I believe there was a 3 year stretch where the team that went up by 19-20 points ended up losing each game. SMU 28 Baylor(and Mike Singletary) 32 of course was one of those games

[Dooby]

Baylor was 4-6-1. If we are gonna rip the post-DP ones for being milestones or wins against teams with losing records, then we ought to rip this one, too.

Oh, and I almost forgot. And if you didn't see Doak play, you are not entitled to have an opinion. I only have to type that 72 more times.

[Stallion]

I feel confident in my reservoir of knowledge on the subject and assured by the fact that its obvious you don't know what the hell you are talking about. Its just too bad you never got to see SMU play Division 1A Football.

[jtstang]

There was another classic comeback in Waco in which Don King hit Ron Morris for a TD late in the game for the win in the rain. 1984, I think.

[ponyte]

SMU-Baylor has had some very good games. In 1975, SMU came from way behind to beat Baylor in Wacko on the last play of the game. One of the most exciting games I have ever seen (I was a guest of Baylor and was pulling for SMU). The SMU locker room after that game was unbelievable. I have to disagree with Stallion on one point. The fantastic SMU Baylor games ran from at least 1975 to 1986.

[Stallion]

didn't SMU come back from a 21 point deficit and at least 14 points in the last 8 minutes to win that 1984 game. Maybe there was 4 20 point comebacks. If I was AD priority Number 1 in scheduling would be to sign Baylor to a 10 year agreement home and home-even if it meant losing the Litt' Toads. I don't know but I feel sure that Baylor would love to get more exposure in the Metroplex-and yet we decide to play Arkansas St, Texas St and Sam Houston JC instead.

[ponyte]

SMU-Baylor has had some very good games. In 1975, SMU came from way behind to beat Baylor in Wacko on the last play of the game. One of the most exciting games I have ever seen (I was a guest of Baylor and was pulling for SMU). The SMU locker room after that game was unbelievable. I have to disagree with Stallion on one point. The fantastic SMU Baylor games ran from at least 1975 to 1986.

[Caballo]

Right you are jtstang. We were down by a couple of scores and came back to win 24-20. That was a pretty miserable night up until that point.

The second best comeback by the Ponies in the series with Baylor (following the '82 win) was in 1978. We were down 21-0 late in the third quarter and Baylor drove down inside our 1 yard line. The Bears fumbled and we recovered. Mike Ford drove the Mustangs 99 yards for the first of four TD passes to Emanuel Tolbert, all in the fourth quarter. Baylor came back with about 1:30 left and drove down inside our 40 where I believe it was Putt Choate who made a leaping INT in front of a wide open Bear who arguably would have scored easily.

For all you Mustang foals out there, THAT WAS MUSTANG MANIA!!!!!!!!

[MrMustang1965]

It's just too bad you never got to see SMU play Division 1A Football.

*NEWS ALERT* We're still playing Div. 1-A football, Stallion. Perhaps in YOUR mind we're not.

[crazy horse]

If I was AD priority Number 1 in scheduling would be to sign Baylor to a 10 year agreement home and home-even if it meant losing the Litt' Toads. I don't know but I feel sure that Baylor would love to get more exposure in the Metroplex-and yet we decide to play Arkansas St, Texas St and Sam Houston JC instead.

I second this motion. Baylor was always a better rivalry game than TCU. I have so many more friends and family connections to Baylor, my entourage always doubles for Baylor games. Maybe it was the Methodist versus Baptsist thing.

[ALEX LIFESON]

in 1984 SMU trailed Baylor 20 to 10, with less than 5 minutes left Don King led the comeback! SMU 24 Baylor 20!!!